Brussels, 24/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 May, EU foreign ministers will be retiring to Klosterneuburg Abbey, near Vienna, to reflect among themselves (with only one adviser at the most accompanying them) on initiatives that may be taken to put the European project back on track. No miracles will come out of this informal meeting organised by the Austrian Presidency in the context of preparations for the European Council on 15 and 16 June. In the letter of invitation addressed to her colleagues, Austria's Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said one should not expect a solution to the constitutional crisis to be found in June, and that the European Council should extend the reflection period. In her view, however, this does not mean that possibilities should not be sought to improve certain aspects of the way the Union works, wherever reasonable, without prejudging resumption of the constitutional process.
The Council president invited his colleagues to come to the meeting with an indicative list of elements that could be taken up again in the conclusions of the European Council in June. Saturday's Klosterneuburg meeting will focus on three themes: - citizens' concerns and national debates; - subsidiarity, the constitutional treaty and enlargement; - and the effectiveness and coherence of the Union's external policy. Sunday morning's discussions will be devoted to preparing for the European Council in June. (See related article on ideas put forward by Chancellor Schüssel).